media ARTS
​our WORK
Story Animation
Rahini J. took on the challenge of creating a "commercial" length hand drawn animation after learning the basic animation techniques in class. Students who rose to this challenge emphasized experimental layering and texturing, using a cohesive color palette, and telling a story with images and sound.
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This video won a Silver Key at the 2025 Regional Scholastic Art and Competition and was featured at the Mint Museum in Uptown Charlotte.
As inspiration for this unit, students studied the works of master animator PEZ. His work, Western Spaghetti allowed students to see everyday objects in a new light. After studying animated works, they then created classic story arcs to include exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
After the story arcs were complete, students created characters made of found objects and clay.
Stop-motion filming was accomplished using an ipad and iMotion App.
Students exported their projects to iMovie where sound effects, music, titles, and credits were added.
Found Object Animation
Brain Rot Videos
Digital Media Arts students created original song lyrics, characters, and storyboards. They then produced an animation complete with music generated with the help of an online music generation application.
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This video compilation won the BEST IN SHOW Middle School Media Arts Award at the 2025 CMS K12 Winter Juried Art Exhibition.
Animated GIFs
As an introduction to using the app ProCreate, students were tasked with learning basic animation techniques that they then applied to a series of short Animated GIFs. Techniques included wiggly text, animation by erasing, morphing or distorting, animating on a path, and isolated animation. Students were free to create an animation using subject matter of their choice. In addition to the animation techniques, students practiced drawing using a stylus, working in layers, filling a shape, and experimenting with a variety of brushes. The GIFs featured here demonstrate an exemplary use of the animation techniques.
What kind of project enhances the diverse skills and abilities of a high performing group of eighth grade students? A music video, of course!
Students created original music and lyrics, storyboards, and shot lists. They developed their skills in different areas of production inside specialized departments including visual concept, lighting, sound, talent acquisition, and editing. The final product was 100% student-directed, student-developed, and student-produced.
Although the music video project was enormous in scope, together students were able to do what they viewed as impossible.
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Original Music Video
Inspirational Video
The prompt: Make a video to change the world! A lofty goal but one my students took seriously.
Students worked independently or in small groups to produce an original, persuasive video, the goal of which was to make viewers want to take action.
Students gained skills in using video cameras effectively -- cameras were varied and ranged from the students' personal phones, to iPads and Sony video cameras.
Constructing a meaningful tagline was the first order of business. The tagline allowed students to focus their message and create a working storyboard including the camera shots they hoped to get for each part of the video.
Music, pacing, lighting, and narrative helped set the tone. Most students chose music from the site Jamendo , a free streaming and download website. Some, however, composed and recorded their own music.
Effective editing skills were necessary to keep the message tight and under two minutes. Students uploaded their clips to iMovie where they cut, spliced, added voice overs, effects, music, and title/end credits.
*and yes...we are aware of at least one spelling error. We hope that it won't diminish your enjoyment of these videos.
Claymation
Students created story arcs based on the working title "Family Dynamics." All stories were set in a photographer's studio and the plot revolved around taking a family portrait.
After the story arcs were complete, students created characters made of clay and other found objects.
Stop-motion filming was accomplished using an ipad and iMotion App.
Students exported their projects to iMovie where sound effects, music, titles, and credits were added.
Students created 90 second videos based around the theme "School Spirit" in conjunction with the Cam Newton Foundation's School Spirit challenge video contest.
School Spirit
Green Screen Music Video
In February of 2015, Media Arts students received an ASC (Arts and Science Council) grant to work with Sean Driscoll of The Story Ship. Eighth grade students created a music video based on the poem, The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost. The updated concept for the video was imagined by students. They created a storyboard in which a girl has an opportunity to make 2 choices. Each choice leads to a different future. After the storyboard was created, students made costumes, props and the original music. They researched backgrounds and effects that were edited into the video using green screen technology. Students directed the video, manned the camera, played the instruments, worked the lights, and participated in the voice over and acting work.
Behind the Scenes
With the help of our guest artist, Sean Driscoll, students filmed all scenes against a green screen. During the editing process, the actors, objects, and props were pulled out of the green background (called "keyed out") and put into a virtual world students imagined from their storyboard. The train station, platform, jail, and alleyway were all environments that students researched on the internet. Once the backgrounds were in place, the filmed scenes were superimposed on top.
To get the actor to appear as if she was descending the stairs onto the train platform, students covered some wooden blocks with the green screen fabric and filmed her stepping down. The clock scene was tricky. A green suited actor was filmed turning the clock hands backward. The student cello player first listened to the music track students created and then constructed a complementing melody. His part was recorded while he listened to the background track on headphones. Then, he played live for the camera.
Our local PBS station, WTVI, heard about the music video and featured the students on their Carolina Impact program in April 2015. A cameraman and news reporter visited our school, filmed the process, and interviewed students about the concept and production.
Students were also invited to tour the WTVI studio, meet local broadcast celebrities, and talk to studio managers about the news broadcasting field. Students were taken through the entire process of news story production and gained valuable insight into developing interview questions, finding new material for stories, and editing material for news segments. One of the highlights of the tour was talking to the sound and camera technicians. Students (and their teacher) had so many questions!